Swarms of bees surround keepers collecting honey in the Gaza Strip

Palestinian bee keepers collect honey in Al-Ashqar apiary in Deir Al-Balah, the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. The Al-Ashqar farm has 35 hives, and produces around 350 kilograms of honey per season. Gazans reportedly also use honey for medicinal purposes. Reports state that the Gazan Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that although there is an annual demand for 400 tons of honey, only 200 tons are produced locally. The deficit has been attributed by local bee keepers to the ongoing Israeli blockade of Gaza and the resulting economic difficulties. The bee keepers also highlighted issues in accessing their farms which are located near the Israeli border, as well as a lack of necessary equipment for quality testing.